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May ic, 1778. THE Number 428
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tfORTH-CAROLINA GAZETTE.
With the lateft ADVICES, Foreign and Domestic.
SEMPER PRO LIBERTATE, ET BONO PUBLICO.
WILLIAMSBURG, May i.
Several copies of the following bills, which were brought into
the Britifh houle of commons by Lord North, and have fince,
mdoubtedly, become laws were lately fent, b flag, from Ge
neral Howe 10 General Wafluugtun.
Sketch of a bill for declaring the intentions of thi parliament of Great
Britain concerning the exercifejf the right of impofing taxes with
in bis majejiy's colonies , provinces, and plantations in North A
nurica. WHEREAS re exercife of the right of taxation by
the parliament of5reat Britain, for the purpofc
ot raiGng a revenue in his majefty's colonies,
provinces, ar.d plantations in North America,
has bean found, by experience, to occafion great
ur.eafinrfs and diforderr, and has, by fundry mifreprefentationi,
been made the means of misleading many of his majefty s faith
ful fubjecls, who yet acknowledge the juftice of contributing to
tbe common defence of the empire, provided fuch contributi n
ftruJd be raifed under the authority of the general court or gene
ral affrmbly of each refpeftive colony, province, or planta ion ;
and whereas, in order a well to remove the faia uneafinef, and
to quiet the mires of his maj ftv's fubje&n whj may be difpofed
to return to their allegiance, as to refWe the peace and welfare
of his majefty's d. mini ,ns, it is expedient to declare that che king
and parliament of Great Britain will not impofc anv duty, tax,
or aifciTmeni wbatfucver, pava&le within any ol his majefty's co
lonies, provinces, and plantations ;
MAY it therefore ?! life v.ur majeftv, that it may b- declared
rd enacted, and it i hereby declared and enacted, Sec. that
it m and after the ufiag this aft the king and parliament of
Gre at-Britain will not iotpofe any duty, tax, or aiTeiTuient what
ever, payable within any of his maj ft v 's colonies, provinces,
and plantations in North America, except only fuch duties as it
may be expedient to impofe for the regulation of ct mmerce, the
neat produce of fuch duties to be always paid and applied to and
for the ofe of rtoe colony, province, or plantation in which the
fame mall be' respectively levied, in furh manner as other duties,
Collected by the auth rry of the refptclive general courts or ge-
n- ral aflVmblies of fuch colonies, provinces, or plantations, are
ordinarily paid aod applied.
minions thereunto belonging, and of and concerning fuch other
regulations, provisions, matters, and things, as, upon mature
deliberation of the faid commiffioners, or any of them
lhall bethought neceffary or convenient, for tbe honour of his
nk.j -rtr, a?id the common good of all his fubjecls.
PROFILED aljo. and he it further enaGed and dec lor id, that BO
regulation, provilion, matter, or thing, fo propoftd, treated,
confulred, or agreed, (hall hare any other force or efledt, or be
carried further into execution, than is herein after mentioned and
provided, until the fame mall have been approved by parlia
ment.
Sketch of a hill to enable bis majtfiy to appoint commiffioners, ivith
Jvjjicient pome's, to treat, co'.jult. and agree stpon the means of
quitting the drjtrde-s now fubfiji;ng in certain of the colonies, pro
vince and plantations in North -tmerica.
FOR qjietug a.d xungn. Ihing divrrs jealoufies aud mifap
prehenfion of danger to th ir liberties and legal rights,
which have ro:fltd mnv of his majtftv's fubjecls in the colonies,
province , and plantations of Ne Hampfhire, Maffachufetts
Bay, Rhode Ifl:nd, Connecticut, New York, New Jerfey, Pen
fylvania, the time lower counties n Delaware, Maryland, Vir
ginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and for
a fuller maniftrtatioo of the juft and graci us purp fes of his ma
jefty and his parliament to maint in and fecure all his fufls in
a clear and pe?fcl enjoyment of fuch liberties an J right :
BE it entitled, &c. that perfins, to be appointed by his
majefty, under the great fial of G eat Britain, or any of
them, fhall. by fic? of this aft, have full power, comm:ffion,
aadiJbority, to ttc-it, c-nfult, and aree wi.h body or bodies
polttEand corporate, j w th fuch ciTembly or aft" mblies ot men,
or with fuch perlon cr per Ions, as in their wifdom anJ difcretion
they (haU think meet, of ard concerning any grievances, or com
pi lints of grievances, exift ne, or fuppofed to exift, in the go
vernment of any of the faid c lonies, provinces, or plantations
refpeftitely, or In the laws and ftatutes of thi realm refpefting
the fame, and of or concerning any aid or contribution to be far
iiifhed by all or any of the clonics, provinces, of plantation!
refpeeii vdy, for the common defence ot ink reaiai,. end ihe do-
PROF1DED al'o, and he it further enaaed By thi authority et
forejaid, that in order to facilitate the good purpofes of this ad,
it fhall and may be lawful for the faid commiffioners, or any
of them, from time to time, as they fhall judge it convenient, to
order and proclaim a cefTation of hoftilities, on the part of his
mrjeity's troops, in any of the faid colonies, provinces, or plan
tations, or an pare thereof, for fuch time, and under' fuch con
ditions or reftri&ions, as they (hall think convenient, and fuch
order and proclamation to revoke and annul, in the fame man
ner and form, according to their difcretion. r
AND be it further enaited, that it fhall and may be lawful for
the faid con.miffioners, or any of them, by proclamation,
under their relpective hands and ieals, from time to time, to fuf
pend the operation and effc&s of a certain acl of parliament,
made and pafltd in the fixtcenth year of the reign of his prefent
majefty, for prohibiting all trade and interconrfe with certain po
lonies and plantations therein named, and for the other purpo(et
'herein alfo mentioned, cr any of the pre; ifi jus or friction
therein contained, for fuch Convenient time as faid commiffioners
fhall think proper, fpecifying in fuch proclamation at what times
or places reflectively, and with what exceptions and reftricYions,
and the aid fufpenfion and proclamation, in the fame manner
and form, to annul and revoke, according to their difcretion.
AND be it further enatled by the authority afbrefaid, that the faid
commiffi ners, or any of them, may, and they are hereby autho
rifed and empowered, to fufpend, in fuch places, and for fuch.
timet-as they fhall think fit, during the continuance of this aift,
the operations and effe& of all or any of the acVor atts of parlia
ment which have patfed fince the tenth of February 1763, aad
which relate to any of his maj fty'6 faid colonies, provinces, or
plantations in North America, fo far as the fame do relate to
them, or the operation or effect of any claufe or any provifion
or matter therein contained fo far as fuch claufe, provifions, or
matters, relate to any of the colonies, provinces, or plantations.
AND it is hereby enabled, by the authority aforefaid, that it (hall
and may be lawful to and for the fame commiffibners, or any of
them, and they are hereby empowered and authorifed, to grant
a pardon, or pardons, to any number or descriptions of perfona
within the faid colonies, provinces, or plantations.
AND that no let or hindrances may happen from the vacancy
of the officer, or governor and commander in chief in any of the
faid colonies, provinces, or plantations refpeflively, or from the
abfenee of fuch officer from his government, Be it further enaded
by the authority aforefaidt that the faid commiffioners, or any of
them, (hall have full power and authority, in any of the faid co
lonies, provinces, or plantations refpeAively, wherein his maje
fty hath ufually nominated and appointed a governor, to nomi
nate and appoint, by any inftru ment under their hands and feals,
a proper perfon to be governor and commander in chief in and for
fuch colony, province, or plantation refpeftively, with all fnch
powers and authorities as any governor of fuch province, hereto
fore appointed by his majefty, might or could have exercifed, in
as full and complete manner and form as if fuch governor or com
mander in chief had been nominated and appointed by his maje
fty's letters patent or commiffion, and for that purpofc, if need
be, to revoke, annul, and make void, any commiffion or letters
patent heretofore granted for appointing foch governor and com
mander in chief.